15 Top Tourist Destinations to Visit in West Bengal

West Bengal is home to some of the marvelous landscape features and natural scenic beauty, also has significant architectural and natural heritage. Tourism in West Bengal also has India’s most preferred travel destinations like Darjeeling, Sundarbans,Kurseong and Kalimpong. Major tourist attractions of West Bengal also includes Kumortuli Village,Durga Puja festival,Peace Pagoda Darjeeling,The Great Banyan, Hooghly river Bridges, Himalayan Zoological Park,Rock Garden Darjeeling and Gongoni Grand Canyon of West Bengal.

Kolkata

Kolkata is India’s oldest operating port is the capital of West Bengal and home to venerable monuments of national importance such as Victoria Memorial,Howrah Bridge,St Paul Cathedral Church and Vidyasagar Bridge. Major tourist attractions in Kolkata also includes Dakshineswar Kali Temple, Kalighat Temple and near by Belur Math.

• Victoria Memorial
• Howrah Bridge
• Dakshineswar Kali Temple
• Belur Math
• Kalighat Temple
• St. Paul’s  Cathedral Church

Darjeeling

Darjeeling is known as the Queen of the Hills,located in the Lesser Himalaya and famous for tea Gardens,Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and spectacular views of Kangchenjunga. Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is listed under world heritage site as the Mountain Railways of India and runs daily from Darjeeling to Ghum, India’s highest railway station.

• Darjeeling Tea Gardens
• Views of Kangchenjunga
• Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
• Ghum Railway Station
• Peace Pagoda

Kalimpong

Kalimpong is a hill station, located at an average elevation of 4,101 ft and a popular tourist locations in the region. The region of Kalimpong is a major ginger growing area of India and forests found at higher altitudes of Kalimpong is home to Red panda, Clouded leopard and Siberian weasel.

• Deolo Hill
• Teesta River
• Tharpa Choling Monastery
• Neora Valley National Park

Bishnupur

Bishnupur is famous for its terracotta temples and the balucheri sarees, situated in municipality of Bankura District. Terracotta temples of Bishnupur are best specimen of the classical style of Bengal architecture and added in the tentative list of world heritage site.

• Rasmancha
• Pancha Ratna Temple
• Jor Bangla Mandir
• Madanmohan Temple

Chandannagar

Chandannagar is a former French colony located about 35 kilometers from Kolkata and Places of tourist interest includes Chandannagore  Strand, Nandadulal Jiu mandir,Bishalakshmi temple,Chandannagore Museum,French Cemetery and Sacred Heart Church of Chandannagar.

• Chandannagore Strand
• Vivekananda Mandir
• Underground House
• Nandadulal Jiu Mandir

Hooghly

Hooghly district has very rich heritage of great Bengali kingdom and town of Hooghly is the largest port in Bengal. Antpur is a famous tourist spot in this district along with famous Tarakeswar temple,Hooghly Imambara and Hangseshwari temple.

• Hangseshwari Temple
• Antpur Radhagovindjiu Temple
• Tarakeswar Temple
• Pandua Minar
• Hooghly Imambara

Mukutmanipur

Mukutmanipur town is home to second biggest earth dam of India and Mukutmonipur along with Jhilimili nearby are major tourist attractions in West Bengal. The picturesque hillocks is very famous for its superb natural beauty,green forest and water reservoir.

• Parasnath Hills
• Deer Park
• Kangsabati Dam

Murshidabad

Murshidabad is located on the southern bank of the Bhagirathi river and known for number of Historic places such as Hazarduari Palace,Bachhawali Tope, Nizamat Imambara and Katra Mosque. The city still has memories of Nawabs with the reamins of mosques, tombs, and gardens.

• Hazarduari Palace
• Katra Mosque
• Motijhil
• Nizamat Imambara

Malda

Malda district is famous for Malda Mango, jute,mulberries and silk. The city has historical monument of Jame Masjid,landmark of Nimasarai tower and Gour city monuments.

• Gaur
• Firoj Minar
• Malda Museum
• Lattan Masjid

Midnapore

Midnapore is situated on the banks of the Kangsabati river. Historic attractions of Midnapore includes Chapaleswar and Mahamaya temples at Karnagarh, Jain temples and Rukmini temple.

• Mandarmani Beach
• Chapaleswar Temple
• Gopegarh Heritage Park

Ambika Kalna

Ambika Kalna or simply Kalna is situated on the western bank of the Bhagirathi river and has numerous historical monuments such as the 108 Shiva temples, Rajbari, Nava Kailash and Pratapeswar Temple.

• Kalna Temple Complex
• Pratapeswar Temple
• 108 Shiva Temples

Cooch Behar

Cooch Behar is one of the main tourist destinations in West Bengal, located in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas. The princely state tourist attractions includes Cooch Behar Palace and Madan Mohan Temple.

• Cooch Behar Palace
• Sagar Dighi Lake
• Madan Mohan Temple

Siliguri

Siliguri city is located on the banks of the Mahananda River and the foothills of the Himalayas. The city of Siliguri attracts many tourist and probably the prettiest place to visit around the West Bengal.

• Coronation Bridge
• Kali Mandir
• Bengal Safari
• Salugara Monastery

Jaldapara National Park

Jaldapara National Park is one of the lesser known pristine beauty of West Bengal,situated at the foothills of Himalayas. The grassland with patches of riverine forests has the largest population of the Indian one horned rhinoceros in the state.

• Indian Rhinoceros
• Indian Elephant
• Hog Deer
• Bengal Florican
• Indian Bison

Sundarbans National Park

Sundarbans National Park is a world heritage site, known for Bengal Tigers and also for large salt-water crocodiles. The Mangrove forest of India lies on the Ganges Delta which is densely covered by mangroves and home to a variety of bird, reptile and invertebrate species.

• Swamp Tigers
• Salt Water Crocodile
• Mangrove Forest
• Water Monitor Lizard